Do turtles go into hibernation? Hibernation of red-eared turtles

, ...However, such proximity to exotics does not always end well for the latter. Ah, all because some owners do not know some of the features of maintaining their unusual pets. In particular, we are talking about those of them that hibernate for the winter. And, although winter sleep in Nature is a natural process for animals, when an animal is kept in a home environment, certain problems often arise with this. So, for example, your turtle could fall asleep, but it cannot wake up. What to do in this situation? How to wake up a turtle without harming it? We suggest looking for answers to these questions in our new article...

Does a turtle need to hibernate?

Most turtle keepers and veterinarians agree that although these creatures are natural environment habitats plunge into winter sleep, but it is better not to allow this to happen at home. Because you may have problems waking them up. So, it is better to make sure in advance that your pet receives enough light and warmth at any time of the year - this will prevent his desire to sleep. Otherwise, without prior preparation and necessary conditions for winter sleep The turtle may not wake up.

As for whether the absence of hibernation harms the animal, experts are sure that it does not. The main thing is that the pet is properly cared for and comfortable living conditions are created for it.

What to do if the turtle falls asleep

Ideally, the turtle's body should be adequately prepared for hibernation. Because,

Before hibernation, the turtle should stop feeding, but not stop giving it water, give it a final bath (immersion in water) and then put it to sleep in a pre-prepared box. If you did not have time to do all this, however, you are sure that the animal will be able to survive the winter, you will need to place the sleeping turtle in a box, which you previously lined with peat or moss. During the winter, the inside surface of the box will need to be moistened. At the same time, in order for the turtle to sleep soundly and not be tormented by nightmares, during the first 2 weeks of its hibernation, you will have to reduce the temperature in the room where the box is located to 6-10 degrees above zero.

If you consider yourself a caring turtle breeder, be sure to cover the sleeping turtle with hay or dry leaves. By the way, the box where the reptile sleeps must have holes for ventilation, otherwise your pet will suffocate in its sleep.

If you think that the turtle is not ready to sleep, then it is better to wake it up as quickly as possible.

How long does turtle winter last?

Ah, this is where the fun begins. It turns out that the duration of wintering depends not on the calendar, but on the age of your pet. So,

young turtles should not be left in hibernation for more than 4 weeks, but adults in this state can spend half-asleep up to 5 months a year.

All this time, you must monitor the state of the sleeping pet, and if suddenly it seems to you that the turtle is starting to show signs of activity (waking up) or it has been sleeping for too long, it will need to be woken up. Yes, yes, without your participation the turtle will not be able to wake up, because awakening processes are launched against the background of accompanying factors, the creation of which you will have to take care of.

How to wake up a turtle

Now we will present to your attention step by step instructions, which will help you wake up your sleeping beauty or handsome man. So,

Temperature increase

The process of awakening in the turtle’s body starts against the background of rising air temperature. This is what, in her understanding, symbolizes the arrival warm season. Therefore, you should gradually increase the temperature in the room in which the turtle is located. You can first place the terrarium with the turtle on the windowsill in a cool room, and the next day move it to a cooler room. warm place, on the 3rd day, bring him into the room and put him in his usual place. After this, it will be possible to increase the temperature in the room to 28-30 degrees Celsius within 3-4 days.

The main thing is to do this gradually, because a sudden temperature jump can lead to the death of your pet.

Note: The lifestyle of red-eared turtles lives in small lakes, ponds and other bodies of water with low, swampy shores. Leads a relatively sedentary lifestyle. Extremely curious. If the turtle is full, it crawls ashore and basks under sun rays. If hungry, it swims slowly in search of food.
When the water temperature is below +18 °C, the turtle becomes lethargic and loses its appetite. The turtle is able to notice danger at a distance of 30-40 m, after which it slides into the water with lightning speed (for which it received the name “Slider”). In nature, turtles become sexually mature at 6-8 years of age, and in captivity at 4 (males) and 5-6 (females). Mating in nature occurs from late February to May. The male, having met the female, is located directly in front of her head, and very close. The female swims forward, and the male swims backward, tickling the female’s chin with his long claws.
To lay eggs, the female leaves the pond and comes to land. Having found a suitable place, she heavily wets the ground with water from the anal bladders. After this, it begins to dig a hole with its hind legs - a nest. The nest of a red-eared slider looks like a ball with a diameter of 7 to 25 cm. In the nests, females lay from 5 to 22 (usually 6-10) eggs with a diameter of no more than 4 cm, which are then buried.
Turtles do not have the instinct to care for their offspring; after laying eggs, they leave the nest and never return to it. The incubation period lasts 103-150 days at temperatures from 21 to 30 °C. At incubation temperatures below 27 °C, males hatch, and at temperatures above 30 °C, only females hatch.

For red eared turtles Overwintering is usually not required. Normally, in October - November, they can react to short daylight hours: their activity and appetite decrease. If the turtle is clinically healthy, it can be allowed to “overwinter” for 1-2 months. Turn off the heating and leave only fluorescent lamp, which is turned on for only a few hours a day. In January-February, with normal heating, the turtle should begin to eat on its own. If this does not happen, you need to carefully examine the animal and, possibly, prescribe sessions of ultraviolet irradiation and a preventive course of vitamins. Wintering itself is an extremely complex biological process.

Besides, she It happens very diverse, because both cold-blooded and warm-blooded animals can fall into it. For turtles living at home, it is necessary to find out whether or not an individual individual can hibernate.

This depends on the main criterion - the climate zone from which the turtle comes. But this is not precise definition, since in one climatic zone turtles can safely hibernate, but those transported to another stop doing so, remaining active.

All this suggests that if there are no visible factors causing the turtle to hibernate, it is better to avoid any activities related to it. Keep your pet active, maintain a “summer” temperature, and expose it to ultraviolet light.

If all the facts are clear (the turtle sleeps longer every day, becomes lethargic, eats little, it’s October-November outside the window, and the temperature outside the apartment is set at 10-15°C and below), you have firm confidence that If the turtle hibernates, you should take care to prepare it for this.

There are many articles and descriptions about how to prepare a turtle for hibernation, but they all relate to land turtles. Many people wonder whether red-eared animals need hibernation. In nature, they actually hibernate, but in captivity they do not have to. If the aquaterrarium is located in an apartment and the appropriate microclimate is installed in it, then your pet will not feel the difference between winter and summer at all. But many believe that wintering is required freshwater species, living in temperate climate. Those pets kept in terrariums overwinter in almost the same way as land species.

Wintering always has a limited period, depending on the age and size of the turtle. Large ones are recommended to “sleep” for no more than 12-14 weeks, small ones – 8-10. This is a safe period within which you should stick.

During winter peace turtles hardly take food; Digestion of food occurs over approximately two to three months at temperatures environment about 10°C. This ambient temperature can be achieved, as a rule, only on the veranda/balcony or in the winter garden; otherwise, the turtles are moved to the basement or garden house, where they require constant monitoring.

Since at this time the turtles eat almost nothing and do not excrete anything, you can offer them sand about 10 cm thick as soil. Decorative pieces of bark will serve as shelter for them, thereby the animals will feel safe. The hibernation room for turtles should not be very large; sufficient low level water.

After transplant animal the temperature should gradually decrease. Over 10-12 days, the temperature must be gradually lowered by 10-20°C. During the wintering itself, the temperature should remain between +5 °C and +10 °C throughout the entire wintering period. average temperature optimal for hibernation is +8 °C.

The transition from autumn to winter and then back to spring in terms of light, temperature and food should be gradual. Animals do not tolerate sudden preparation for wintering or leaving it.

Turtles should be checked periodically throughout hibernation. Don't be afraid, this won't cause them any harm and won't disturb them, if, of course, you do it this operation carefully.

Remember that if the turtle begins to show activity, wintering must be stopped!

But if you have outdoor ponds with turtles, they can overwinter completely naturally.

Before you get yourself pet– red-eared turtle – you need to find out about the acceptable conditions for keeping it. Perhaps the very first thing people who have a pet want to know is how red-eared turtles sleep and whether they fall asleep. hibernation?

Turtle hibernation

IN natural conditions animals simply need to hibernate due to the sharp drop in ambient temperature. If you observe the behavior of a turtle in nature, you can understand how much red-eared turtles sleep in winter. Under natural conditions, the period of sleep can reach five months, while the animal practically does not breathe. All body processes slow down, and fat accumulated during the waking period is spent on their implementation.
At home, it is not recommended to create conditions for turtle hibernation. This is a very labor-intensive process - you need to deprive your pet of food for a week, then place it in damp moss and gradually reduce the temperature of the environment around it. As a rule, to the question - how long do turtles sleep at home in winter - there is only one answer: no more than three months.

How do red-eared turtles sleep?

How do turtles sleep at home and do they sleep at all? Of course, every pet simply needs physical rest. Many people want to know whether turtles sleep at night, complaining that the pet is unusually active at night.

Every turtle sleeps, only in some individuals the duration of sleep and its frequency may differ. It is quite possible that the pet does not sleep at night, but during the day, when no one is in the apartment, it sleeps. There are also turtles that sleep all night and try to rest several times during the day. Sleep can find your pet everywhere - both in water and on land. According to observations, most domestic red-eared turtles prefer to rest on land.

What determines the red-eared turtle's sleep?

First of all, a turtle's sleep depends on its activity. If you want to know how much turtles sleep, which do not show much activity during the day, the answer will upset you a little. Due to the fact that the turtle is inactive, less energy is spent, therefore, the pet needs less time to sleep. And vice versa, if your pet moves very quickly and is constantly busy with something, his sleep will be sound and long.

Also, the length of rest may depend on the sex of the turtle. at a young age, almost no one knows. In most cases this is impossible to do. Sex is determined in adulthood by the length of the tail (it is longer in males) and claws (in boys, the front claws are longer than the back ones). Also, sleep may depend on the occurrence of any disease. Some are able to influence the disorder life cycle, the animal will either sleep too long, or vice versa – not fall asleep at all.

Basically, predict how long turtles sleep in different conditions, impossible. The duration of sleep is a purely individual factor, which depends primarily on the turtle itself, on its surrounding conditions and the rest it requires.

In nature, when it gets too hot or too cold, turtles go into summer or winter hibernation. The turtle digs a hole in the ground, where it crawls and sleeps until the temperature changes. In nature, hibernation lasts approximately 4-6 months, at least from December to March. The turtle begins to prepare for hibernation when the temperature in its habitat remains below 17-18 C for a long time, and when it exceeds these values ​​for a long time, it is time for the turtle to wake up.

At home, it is very difficult to hibernate correctly so that the turtle emerges healthy and at all, so if you are new to terrariums, we recommend that you do not hibernate turtles. Sick animals and those recently brought from elsewhere are definitely not allowed to hibernate.

Pros of wintering: it helps maintain normal activity thyroid gland and thereby increase the life expectancy of the turtle; she synchronizes sexual activity males and follicular growth of females; it prevents excess growth and helps maintain normal hormonal status. Both land and freshwater turtles can be hibernated.

Disadvantages of wintering: the turtle may die or wake up sick.

What mistakes happen when organizing wintering

• Sick or weakened turtles are put to winter
• Too much low humidity during hibernation
• Temperature too low or too high
• Insects that climbed into the wintering container and damaged the turtle
• You woke up turtles during hibernation and then put them back to sleep

How to avoid wintering

In mid-autumn, turtles, which in nature become less active during the winter, refuse food. If you don't want your turtle to hibernate and you can't provide normal conditions for sleep, then increase the temperature in the terrarium to 32 degrees, bathe the turtle more often. If the turtle won’t eat, then you should go to the veterinarian and get a vitamin injection (Eleovita, for example).

How to put a turtle to sleep

European keepers strongly recommend hibernating turtles for their health. However, in apartment conditions this is not at all easy to do. It is much easier to hibernate reptiles for those who have a private home.
If, nevertheless, your goal is to put the turtle to sleep, or the turtle itself wants to go into hibernation (it often sits in the corner, digging soil), then:

It is important to know

The hibernation time for turtles is usually 8-10 weeks for small ones and 12-14 for large turtles. Turtles need to be placed in winter quarters in such a way that they “wake up” no earlier than February, when daylight hours noticeably lengthen. Can be from 3-4 weeks to 3-4 months.
The condition of the turtles is checked every month, trying not to disturb them. The weight of a turtle normally decreases by 1% for each month of wintering. If the weight decreases more rapidly (more than 10% of weight) or general state worsens, wintering must be stopped. During wintering, it is better not to bathe turtles, as they usually urinate if they feel water getting on their shell.
If the turtle begins to be active at a temperature of 11-12°C, wintering should also be stopped.
For all hibernating reptiles, the limits of temperature fluctuations are from +1°C to +12°C; In case of long-term cooling below 0°C, death occurs.

Gentle hibernation regime for turtles

If the general condition of the turtle does not allow for a full winter, or if there are no suitable conditions in the apartment, you can arrange “overwintering” in a gentle manner. To do this, soil that better retains moisture (sawdust, moss, peat, dry leaves, etc.) is added to the terrarium in which the turtle was kept. Level - 5 - 10 cm. The soil should not get wet. The light in the terrarium can be turned on for 2 - 3 hours a day. In the middle of "overwintering" the light can be turned off completely for 2 - 3 weeks. The temperature should be maintained at 18 -24°C during the day, and drop to 14 - 16°C at night. After the “peak” of such wintering (when the heating is turned on again for 2 - 3 hours), you can offer the turtle her favorite food once a week. The beginning of independent feeding is a signal of the end of wintering.

(from the book by Vasiliev D.B. "Turtles...")

Wintering temperature different types turtles

K.leucostomum, k.baurii, s.carinatus, s.minor - room temperature (can be placed somewhere on the floor where it is cooler)
K.subrubrum, c.guttata, e.orbicularis (marsh) - about 9 C
T.scripta (rudders), R.pulcherrima - do not need to hibernate

If you are planning to hibernate your pet at home and find out how red-eared turtles sleep, then you definitely need to know that they should not have any diseases, and preparing for hibernation mentally and physically is of great importance. After you get the turtle into the desired state, you will have to constantly maintain a certain temperature and humidity regime. If you neglect at least one point, the pet may remain in hibernation forever.

However, as everywhere else, hibernation also has its advantages. It is an excellent assistant in maintaining the activity of the thyroid gland, which in turn significantly increases the life of the turtle. It synchronizes sexual activity in males and follicular growth in females. It helps in maintaining hormonal status normal level and blocks excess growth.

In order for hibernation of red-eared turtles to begin painlessly and correctly, you need to know some of the subtleties of this process:

1. Before hibernation of red-eared turtles begins, at the beginning of winter or late autumn, it is necessary to thoroughly fatten the turtle so that the amount of its fat is sufficient for nutrition throughout sleep. She should drink no less than she eats.

2. You need to be completely sure that the turtle’s health is at the proper level. In order to check this, it is enough to consult a veterinarian, but in no case should you give fertilizing and various vitamins just before the start of winter, as this can end badly.

3. Two to three weeks before the start of wintering, you need to stop feeding the turtle; this is done so that all the food it eats is completely digested. For small individuals this period is slightly shorter, one to two weeks.

4. Approximately ten days before hibernation of red-eared turtles is planned, it is necessary to begin to reduce the temperature of the terrarium to approximately 10-12 degrees Celsius, reduce its duration and increase the humidity level to the level that is necessary during the cooling period. To prevent the turtle from getting a cold, the temperature level should be reduced as gradually as possible.

5. The place that will be chosen for wintering should have an approximate temperature of 7-12 ° C, the ideal option would be 8 degrees, and it should not allow light to pass through and have excellent ventilation. This can be a box filled with peat or moss to a thickness of 30 centimeters. Peat should be covered with hay or dry leaves. The main thing is that the substrate in which the turtle spends the winter is moist, but it should not be allowed to get wet.

6. If it does not open its eyes, then hibernation has begun and will last approximately 10 to 12 weeks. The maximum period of hibernation can reach up to 4 months.

7. In order for red-eared turtles to hibernate properly, it is necessary to check its condition.

8. If at a temperature of 10-11°C the turtle begins to move and show general activity, it is necessary to stop wintering.

9. In order for the turtle to come out of hibernation correctly, you need to start a gradual increase in temperature, bringing it to the usual level within a week, and then bathe the turtle in slightly warmed water.

If you do not want your four-legged pet to hibernate, you need to work a little. You need to raise the temperature in the terrarium to 28 degrees and bathe your turtle as often as possible. It may happen that she refuses food, in which case the best option There will be a trip to the vet, as he will give her a vitamin injection that will stabilize her.

If you have a red-eared slider, this article will help you properly handle it during hibernation.